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What is an Order in Council?

The Privy Council of Canada has been in existence since 1867. The members of the Privy Council are the heads or ministers of federal government departments of the administration of the day. Within that
group are the members of the Cabinet. The Governor General acts on the advice of the Cabinet, not of the whole Council.

An order in council is a recommendation of Cabinet that is approved and signed
by the Governor General. An order in council is not discussed by Parliament before it is implemented. It can contain decisions about a wide range of administrative and legislative matters such as federal
appointments, transactions between the government and the private sector, the disposition of Aboriginal lands and other important policy items.

We have photographed and indexed the lists of names contained in the
orders in council from 1942 to 1946 that granted Exit Permits to the specific people named in the lists.

The orders in council that contain the names on our website are not available on-line. The original paper copies can be
consulted at Library and Archives Canada, 395 Wellington Street, Ottawa. They are also available on microfilm reels held at Library and Archives Canada.

At the bottom of each of our photographs we have
inserted a credit slip showing the date the order in council was approved, which box or volume contains that order in council and also which microfilm reel contains the images of that order in council.